Humility is God’s Key to Leadership

“Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.” Exodus 2:11

Before God can use you as a leader, He first humbles you as His servant, because humility is God’s key to leadership. This is true across all areas of life – in the home, at work, in the community, and in our nation. “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor,” Proverbs 18:12 (HSCB).

One of the greatest leaders of all time also happened to be one of the most humble men of all time – Moses. Early in his life he recognized God’s leadership abilities given to him for the purpose of helping His people in their bondage, yet he didn’t have the humility to go along with this great leadership calling. Therefore, he took matters into his own hands and killed a man for treating a Hebrew slave wrongly. He recognized his ability, but he had not yet recognized the need for humility.

As a result, God put Moses on the back side of a mountain to feed sheep for 40 years until He became the humble man who could lead His people out of Egypt. And we know he became that man because when God showed up again, 40 years later, Moses responded with, “who am I?” He recognized his own inability, whereas before he recognized his own ability. God had to humble him first before He could use him as His leader.

Throughout all of our lives God puts us on the “backside of a mountain” to teach us humility, so that we can be the leaders He’s called us to be. It will look differently for all of us, but we must recognize that we are all called to lead in some way. It’s vital to realize that humility is the key to leadership, and if we don’t have enough of it God will bring us to the “backside of a mountain” to get it.

This is how leadership is taught – through humility. So be faithful, trust God, and be ready for His leadership calling when He shows up in a “burning bush” 🙂